Companies Act, 1990

Furnishing false information.

242.—(1) A person who, in purported compliance with any provision of the Companies Acts, answers a question, provides an explanation, makes a statement or produces, lodges or delivers any return, report, certificate, balance sheet or other document false in a material particular, knowing it to be false, or recklessly answers a question, provides an explanation, makes a statement or produces, lodges or delivers any such document false in a material particular shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) Where a person is guilty of an offence under subsection (1) and the court is of opinion that any act, omission or conduct which constituted that offence has—

(a) substantially contributed to a company being unable to pay its debts;

(b) prevented or seriously impeded the orderly winding-up of the company; or

(c) substantially facilitated the defrauding of the creditors of the company or creditors of any other person,

that person shall be liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years or to a fine not exceeding £10,000 or to both.